Line system for an apparatus for the respirating of patients

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for the respirating of patients, with a line system for the flow-through of respiratory gas with connections for the patient, for the supply of components of the gas and for the discharge of components of the gas, characterized in that the line system is built up of a first and a second, substantially plate-shaped, part, with each an inner surface and an outer surface, which are intended to be placed with their inner surfaces against each other, while in the inner surface of at least one of the parts a canal with a longitudinal side that is open toward the inner surface is provided, such that during placement thereon of the inner surface of the other part the open side of the canal is covered and a flow-through pathway is formed through which respiratory- or anaesthetic gas can be fed.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the respirating ofpatients, more particularly for ventilating at home, for anaesthesia orfor intensive care, comprising a line system for the lead-through ofrespiratory gas, which line system is provided with a connection for thepatient, with connections for the supply of the various components ofthe gas and with further connections for the discharge of the variouscomponents of the gas.

Such an apparatus is known.

In the known apparatus the line system is formed by hoses.

In order to avoid contamination of a next patient by the apparatus, theknown hose system, particularly the inner side thereof, needs to bethoroughly cleaned. This is done by cleaning the hoses in water with adetergent, after which the inner side of the hose is flushed. After thisone lets the line system drain or one shakes this out. Then the systemhas to be dried completely.

Because the inner side of the hoses is difficult to attain or notattainable at all, the cleaning and drying thereof is rather difficult.

The invention aims to provide an apparatus with a line system that canbe cleaned and dried in a simple manner.

The apparatus according to the invention thereto is characterized inthat the line system, in whole or in part, is built up of a first and asecond, substantially plate-shaped, part, each having an inner surfaceand an outer surface, whereby the first part and the second part areintended to be placed with their inner surfaces against each other,whereby in the inner surface of at least one of the parts a canal isformed, having a longitudinal side that is open towards the innersurface, such, that during placement thereon of the inner surface of theother part the open side of the canal is covered and a flow-throughpathway is formed through which the respiratory or anaesthetic gas canbe led.

According to a characteristic of the apparatus according to theinvention a canal is provided in the inner surfaces of both parts,having a longitudinal side that is open towards the inner surfaces,such, that during placement of the inner surfaces of the parts againsteach other the open sides of the canals abut one another and the canalsform a flow-through pathway through which the respiratory- oranaesthetic gas can be led.

According to a further characteristic of the apparatus according to theinvention the first and/or the second part are provided along at least apart with a side edge that has been flanged towards the outer surface.

According to another characteristic of the apparatus according to theinvention the first and/or the second part are provided with openings.

According to yet a further characteristic of the apparatus according tothe invention a canal connects to or is in communication with anopening.

According to a further characteristic of the apparatus according to theinvention at the location of an opening a closing means is provided,that is displaceable to into the flow-through pathway for the openingand closing off of parts of the flow-through pathway.

According to yet another characteristic of the apparatus according tothe invention the inner surface of at least one of the parts is providedwith a layer of material, more in particular a silicone material.

Further characteristics and particulars will be described with referenceto the drawings of an example of an embodiment of the apparatusaccording to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for the respirating ofpatients according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the apparatus according to FIG. 1,open at the top.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a line system as incorporated in theapparatus according to FIG. 1, with connected thereto a few furtherparts of the respirating apparatus.

FIGS. 4a and 4b show a perspective view of an outer surface respectivelyinner surface of a first part 5 of the line system according to FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5a and 5b show a perspective view of an inner surface respectivelyouter surface of the second part 6 of the line system.

FIGS. 6a and 6b show a perspective view of an inner surface respectivelyan outer surface of the second part 6 of the line system, whereby theinner surface is coated with, in this example of an embodiment, asilicone layer.

FIG. 7 shows in detail a perspective view of the inner surface of thesecond part with a silicone lining thereon.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the parts such as these are placed againsteach other.

FIG. 9a shows a perspective view of a detail of the parts such as theseare placed against each other.

FIG. 9b shows a perspective view of the parts such as these are placedagainst each other.

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view, in cross-section, of the parts such asthese are placed against each other, with a closing means.

FIG. 11 shows a further perspective view, in cross-section, of the partssuch as these are placed against each other.

In FIG. 1 is shown an apparatus 1 for the respirating of patients , suchas this can be used for ventilating at home, for anaesthesia or forintensive care, with provided therein, as is shown in FIG. 2, a linesystem 2 for the lead-through of respiratory gas. To the line system 2are connected a device 3 by means of which the pressure in the linesystem can be varied according to a certain respiratory pattern and twoabsorber devices 4 for the withdrawal from the line system of the carbondioxide exhaled by the patient. These devices do not form part of thepresent invention. The line system further, as usual, is provided with aconnection for the patient and with connections for the supply of thevarious components of the gas and with connections for the discharge ofthe various components of the gas (not shown in FIG. 1).

In FIG. 3 is shown the line system 2, which is built up of a first part5 and a second part 6. As can be seen in the FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 the parts5, 6 are substantially plate-shaped. Each part has an inner surface 5 a,6 a and an outer surface 5 b, 6 b. The parts 5, 6 are further providedwith a side-edge 7, 8 flanged towards their outer surface 5 b, 6 b. Bymeans of this a more or less solid, rigid, construction is achieved.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, as well as in the FIGS. 8, 9 a, 9 b, 10 and11, during use of the apparatus, the first part 5 and the second part 6are intended to be placed with their inner surfaces 5 a, 6 a againsteach other and to be attached to each other. As can be seen in the FIGS.4b, 5a, 6a , canals 9 are formed in the inner surfaces 5 a, 6 a, whichcanals 9 are open towards the inner surface 5 a, 6 a. The canals 9 arearranged in the inner surfaces 5 a, 6 a in the first part 5 respectivelythe second part 6 in mirror image relative to each other, in such a way,that during placement of the inner surfaces 5 a and 6 a against eachother, the open longitudinal side 10 of the canal 9 in the one innersurface 5 a connects to the open longitudinal side 10 of the canal 9 inthe other inner surface 6 a. In this manner , when the parts are placedagainst each other, a flow-through pathway 11 is formed by the combinedabutting canals 9, through which the respiratory- or anaesthetic gas canbe led, as is shown in the FIGS. 2, 9 a and 10.

In the example of an embodiment shown the canals 9 are provided in bothinner surfaces 5 a, 6 a. Instead it is also possible to provide in justone of the two co-operating inner surfaces, for instance the innersurface 5 a, a canal 9 or an otherwise deepened part, having alongitudinal side 10 that is open towards the inner surface 5 a, sothat, during placement thereon of the, in that case more or less levelinner surface 6 a of the other part 6, the open longitudinal side 10 ofthe canal 9 or the deepened part is covered, and by means of which thedesired flow-through pathway 11 is obtained too.

The parts can be manufactured from PEI.

As can further be seen in the FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, in the embodiment shownthe first part 5 and the second part 6 are provided with openings 12. Atthese openings 12 the further components of the respirating apparatuscan be connected, such as the device 3 for the varying of the pressurein the line system, absorber devices 4 for the withdrawal from the linesystem of carbon dioxide and the several connections for the supply andthe discharge of components of the gas, to or with which openings 12 thecanals 9 can be connected or in communication. At the location of theseopenings 12 further closing means can be provided.

The inner surface 5 a, 6 a of at least one of the parts 5, 6 is in anefficient manner provided with a layer of material, preferably asilicone layer. When the parts are attached to each other, this layerensures a leak proof assembly of the parts attached to each other, whichis of great importance because the respiratory gas may not escapeunintentionally from the line system or the flow-through pathway.

In FIG. 6a is shown the second part 6, on the inner surface 6 a of whichthe silicone layer 14 is provided. Thereby a few openings 15 of theopenings 12 are covered by the layer, which can be seen in the detail ofFIG. 7. The apparatus, at the location of an opening 12, can be providedwith a closing means 13, as shown in figure. 11, whereby the closingmeans 13 is displaceable to into the flow-through pathway 11 for theopening and closing off of parts of the flow-through pathway 11. Thereit is visible that the silicone layer 14, attached on the inner surface6 a of the second part 6, is situated between the closing means 13 andthe first part 5, in such a way, that by means of the closing means 13the silicone layer 14 can be pressed against the inner surface 5 a ofthe first part 5.

Further on the outer surface 5 b, 6 b of the first part 5 respectivelythe second part 6 at the location of an opening 12 a cylindrical housingcan be provided, from which a closing means is displaceable to into theflow-through pathway, for the opening and closing off of parts of theflow-through pathway.

The line system assembly of the first part 5 and the second part 6 canbe taken in and out relative to the respiratory apparatus 1. For theeasy removal of the assembly out of the apparatus this is provided witha handle (as can be seen at arrow A in FIG. 8). The first part 5 and thesecond part 6 are provided with means, by which these can be carefullyattached to each other and detached again in a simple manner. After useof the apparatus the assembly is removed from the apparatus and thefirst part 5 and the second part 6 are detached from each other. Afterthis these are cleaned and dried. Because the canals are provided withan open part along their entire length the inner surface of the canalsis well reachable and the cleaning and drying of the line system or theflow-through pathway formed by the canals can be performed easily andthoroughly. After the cleaning and drying the parts will be attachedtogether again and placed into the apparatus, after which the furthercomponents can be connected to the line system by means of the openingsthat are present in the parts.

1. Apparatus for the respirating of patients, more in particular forventilating at home, for anaesthesia or for intensive care, comprising aline system for the lead-through of respiratory gas, which line systemis provided with a connection for the patient and with connections forthe supply of the various components of the gas and with connections forthe discharge of the various components of the gas, characterized inthat the line system, in whole or in part, is built up from a first anda second, substantially plate-shaped, part, each having an inner surfaceand an outer surface, whereby the first part and the second part areintended to be placed with their inner surfaces against each other,whereby in the inner surface of at least of one of the parts a canal isformed, having a longitudinal side that is open towards the innersurface, such, that during placement thereon of the inner surface of theother part the open side of the canal is covered and a flow-throughpathway is formed through which the respiratory or anaesthetic gas canbe led.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that in theinner surfaces of both parts a canal is provided, having a longitudinalside that is open towards the inner surface, such, that during placementof the inner surfaces of the parts against each other the openlongitudinal sides of the canals connect to each other and the canalsform a flow-through pathway through which the respiratory or anaestheticgas can be led.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe parts are provided with means by which these can be attached to eachother and can be detached from each other.
 4. Apparatus according toclaim 1, characterized in that the parts are manufactured from PEL 5.Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and/orthe second part are at least partially provided with a side edge flangedtoward their outer surface.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1,characterized in that the first and/or the second part are provided withopenings.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that acanal connects to or communicates with an opening.
 8. Apparatusaccording to claim 1, characterized in that at the location of anopening a closing means is provided that is displaceable to into theflow-through pathway for the opening and closing off of parts of theflow-through pathway.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterizedin that the inner surface of at least of one of the parts is providedwith a layer of material.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9,characterized in that the layer of material is formed by a material withsealing or elastic properties.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 9characterized in that the layer of material is formed by a siliconematerial.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that theone part at the location of an opening is provided with a closing meansthat is displaceable to into the flow-through pathway for the openingand closing off of parts of the flow-through pathway, whilst on theinner surface the layer of material is provided, such that by means ofthe closing means the layer of material can be pressed against the innersurface of the other part.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 1,characterized in that on the outer surface of the one part at thelocation of an opening a cylindrical housing is provided, out from whicha closing means is displaceable to into the flow-through pathway for theopening and closing off of parts of the flow-through pathway, whilst atthe inner surface the layer of material is provided, such that by meansof the closing means the layer of material can be pressed against theinner surface of the other part.